Bolton complete Davies signing

Bolton have signed Barnsley’s top-scorer Craig Davies on a two-and-a-half year deal.

Davies impressed during his time at Oakwell

Davies, 27, becomes manager Dougie Freedman’s first permanent signing since his October appointment and arrives for a reported fee of £300,000.

The Wales international scored nine times for the relegation-threatened Tykes this season and Bolton will become the 12th club of his career, having previously represented the likes Verona and Wolves.

"Craig is a player I am really fond of,” Freedman told Bolton’s official website. “I actually tried to sign him a couple of years ago and he will bring all the right ingredients to our club.

"He is hungry. He hasn't got the T-shirt of playing in the Premier League, but is desperate to get it. He's a good age and represents very good value for the football club. He is the type of player I want around the place."

Meanwhile, Freedman hopes that midfielder Stuart Holden will soon be able to make his first-team comeback after his injury nightmare.

Holden, 27, who played 65 minutes in Bolton’s 3-0 Manchester Senior Cup win over Oldham on Tuesday, has spent almost two years on the sidelines since being injured in a challenge with Manchester United’s Jonny Evans in March 2011.

He made a solitary appearance at Aston Villa in the League Cup seven months later before his knee problems recurred.

“We are very pleased to give him 65 minutes and it was a very good 65 minutes at that,” Freedman said. “Having been out for so long but to be involved in most of the match was very encouraging and also very pleasing for Stuart. He has not far to go.”